Happy Anniversary
by Catri Howlman-Carthaki spy
Summary: Even the best laid plans may go astray. Luckily, there's cake – unless the power goes out. C/S futurefic


**Title: **Happy Anniversary  
><strong>Fandom: <strong>ST:XI  
><strong>Rating:<strong> G  
><strong>Pairing: <strong>Chekov/Sulu gen  
><strong>Warnings: <strong>sillyness, fluff, the future equivalent of Hamburger Helper  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Written for the Chekov/Sulu Bingo prompt "tropes – snowed in" and the trek crack bingo prompt "cake". Not betad. (The ww3 fic was taking too long.)

_**Summary: **_Even the best laid plans may go astray. Luckily, there's cake – unless the power goes out.

* * *

><p>Hikaru made a face as he stood in the open door. "I don't think we're getting out anytime soon."<p>

Pavel came to see.

A wall of snow covered the doorway. Peeking out the windows, Pavel saw that they were covered as well. He sighed and shrugged. "A change of plans then. And close the door; it will melt all ower the floor."

That was true enough. While Hikaru stood glaring at the wall of white, water had begun to puddle in the entry. Hikaru slammed the door shut, not bothering to lock it.

"At least our power still works?" said Pavel, trying to be optimistic. As if to spite him, the lights began to flicker. Hikaru passed him a mop and went to find a flashlight.

"There better not be snow down there," he grouched as he opened the door to the basement.

While Hikaru tinkered with the lines, Pavel cleaned up the water and went to look in the fridge. Their plan had been to go to the park, and then to a fancy restaurant, but obviously the weather had other ideas. Pavel was confident one of them would be able to throw together a passable anniversary dinner.

This was their eighth and the sixth after their first mission. They hadn't been on a ship together for most of that time, but they were taking a break between missions to be together and to relax after ten years in uncharted space.

The house was small and out of the way, and not on Earth. They lived on a colony old enough to be well established but young enough to still have plenty of room, and being Starfleet had its privileges.

It was perfect, for the most part. One of those imperfections was the unpredictable weather.

The forecast that morning had predicted only a light snow. The storm they'd received had nearly buried the house, and any snow-clearing efforts would have to dig themselves out first before there could be any help.

There was a chance that someone would eventually tunnel to their door and business would start again beneath several meters of snow, but the park was out of the question, and they'd never make their reservation.

Hikaru loved that park, with its unique flowers and beauty, and the restaurant was Pavel's favorite.

They'd just have to make something up.

There was a clanging from the basement. The power flickered a final time and held.

Pavel found local eggs and milk in the refrigerator, and a box of earth cake mix in the cabinet. He got an idea.

Hikaru came into the kitchen to return the flashlight. "What are you cooking?"

"Cake."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow as Pavel cracked the periwinkle-shelled eggs into a bowl. "Babe, I don't think the power's gonna hold."

Pavel shrugged. "It will hold."

On cue, the lights started to flicker again. Hikaru retrieved the flashlight. "If it doesn't?"

"We will build a fire in the entry," Pavel said, and dug through the drawers for a spatula. "Electricity or no electricity, we are eating cake."

As a part of his cake-baking mission, Pavel spilled milk on his house shoes and water on Hikaru's ragged green robe. Hikaru tossed his robe over a chair and took Pavel's shoes to the laundry. Pavel let Hikaru lick the bowl.

While Pavel optimistically placed his creation in the oven, Hikaru got started on an actual meal. They'd slept 'til ten and had a light brunch, but that had been when they still had hope of going out.

It wasn't anything fancy, just a box of pasta, ground-turkey-equivalent, and the provided sauce packet, but it tasted good and that was good enough.

The power started fading again halfway through the cake's time in the oven. Hikaru handed Pavel the flashlight. "Don't forget to hit it near the outtake box."

Pavel huffed. "When winter is done, we will buy a new one."

"Finally. Hurry up before your cake cools off."

Pavel nearly broke the bat he hit the box with.

"Happy anniwersary!" Pavel said, presenting his finished masterpiece with a flourish. It was slightly burnt around the edges, but it smelled good, and Pavel's half-hazard icing job covered the problem areas.

"Happy anniversary," Hikaru replied, placing two plates of freshly cooked meal-from-a-box on the table.

This was actually one of the better ones.


End file.
